Ventilating device



VENTLAIING DEVI CE Filed Feb. 421, 1935 INVENTOR. i en/am zn, Hz'esrzer Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT UFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a Ventilating device of the general type `illustrated in my Letters Patent No. 1,568,532, issued January 5, 1926, the aforesaid type being characterized by a metal box-like ventilator member taking the general form of a brick or structural unit block adapted to form part of a wall, occupying a brick-supporting relation therein, thisV ventilator brick or structural unit being characterized also by having at its vent face a series of horizontally extending, vertically spaced baffle or louvre members, inclined upward and rearwardly. Above the uppermost baie is a watershedding hood which projects outwardly and which also serves as a bafile.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved ventilating unit of this type which is further characterized by means for connecting the unit directly into a system of Ventilating pipes in such a manner as to render the unit capable of being coupled quickly and readily to pipesV leading theretoin a wide variety oi arrangements, and more particularly to permit connection with pipes setV into a brick wall structure in conventional fashion, so as to avoid the unsightly effects often presented where Ventilating pipes have been erected in upright fashion outside the walls of gasoline lling stations, running from underground storage tanks to and above the roofs of the station buildings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ventilator brick of the above type in which the louvre or vent face is provided with an apron extending outwardly from the associated Wall units and so related to the bottom wall of the boxlike unit that rain, snow or the like blown thereinto, through the louvre opening, will nd ready exit over the apron and be conducted away from the wall, the bottom of the box being inclined forwardly and downwardly to promote such drip.

Still another object of the' invention is to provide such a building unit or ventilator'block with an inner upright attaching wall of substantial thickness, with a nozzle-like throat, threaded interiorly and/ or exteriorly for connecting purposes, and the lower wall of which extends to a suitable height above the inner end of the inclined bottom drainage surface to constitute a dam which will prevent eifectively the backing up into the connecting pipe of rain, blown into the louvre; the baies acting rst to direct such intruding moisture upwardly against the top of the block, whence it falls with its force spent, so that at no time will there be an accumulation suilicient to flow rearward over the dam` into the piping, to the detriment of the gasoline supply in the tanks.

Among other objects of the invention are the provision for the connectionv to such a ventilator brick unit of a plurality of conduits, in virtually Siamesed lrelation, whether they lead from a common source, or from more or less widely spaced independent enclosures to be ventilated.

Still another object is to provide an adequate gauze screen at the vent opening of the louvre, easily installed, firmly held in place, and readily removable and replaceable; acting when in place to satisfy the underwriters requirements, which do not permit use of a ventilator, in such a relation, that will allow the entrance of paper, leaves, or other detritus likely to clog the ventilator or introduce an unusual nre-hazard in connection with the vapors-an important function of the gauze being to prevent back-flashing in the event of an accidental ignition of thevapor outside of the ventilator.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of part of a brick wall illustrating a built-in ventilator brick or structural Ventilating unit in the construction of which the invention has been embodied;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical, medial section of the unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification;

Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a view in verticalsection on the line V--V of Fig.. 4,'

Y Fig. 6 is a view in rear elevation of another modiication;

Fig. '7 is a view in vertical section, on a larger scale than Fig. 6, taken on the line VII-VII thereof;

Fig. 8 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line VIII--VIII of Fig. 7.

In the now-preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description, the l structure designated generally by the reference character W is a wall of abuilding, as for example part of the brick wall of a filling station built up of bricks, blocks or structural units B, laid in usual fashion, and having installed therein a ventilator pipe P running from a gasoline or oil storage tank T, which is to be ventilated.

In pursuance of the invention, provision is made of a box-like ventilatorunit or louvre block designated generally by the reference character V and which may be desirably formed as a hollow iron or other metal casting, of rectangular shape as to its body portion Il, and of a size adapted to be builtr into brick-supporting relationship with the conventional wall bricks B or any similar building blocks or structural elements.

'I'he inner end of the unit V is formed with a constriction .I2 adapted to serve as a connecting throat, and provided for that purpose with an inner threaded opening I3 and/or with an eX- terior thread Ill.

n In Fig. 1, the throat is shown as connected to the pipe P by a union of well-known type comprising a nipple l5 and elbow I6, the pipe and elbow having approximately the same interior diameter.

The vertical riser of the pipe P lies in a vertically chased portion Il of the wall, being virtually concealed therein but still accessible.

It is evident that the elbow I6 can be turned to accommodate a horizontally positioned nipple or connection and in general such a connection can be easily adapted to any ventilator pipe.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the unit body V is wider in proportion to its height. In Figs. 6, '7, and 8, the body V2 has tapped and threaded openings IB, i9 arranged side by side to permit a Siamese arrangement or" Ventilating pipes P These may run side by side throughout their length, as shown, or divergently.

A middle partition 33 divides it into two compartments.

Other arrangements of the throat and pipe connections may be adopted to meet exigencies of particular installations.

Preferably, in each of the illustrated forms of louvre brick or ventilator unit in which the invention is embodied, the bottom wall 26 of the body will be formed, as best shown in Fig. 5, with a gentle slope from the front upwardly and rearwardly to a rear wall 2| which is high enough in extent to form a barrier or dam 22 below the rear opening 23. The front or vent opening 24 of the louvre brick has several baiiles 25, in spaced relation vertically, and extending horizontally between the side walls 26, these bailles extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle adapted to retard entrance of considerable quantities of rain, snow or the like, and acting to direct upwardly any such particles which may be wind-driven at considerable speed, so that their momentum will be expended before they penetrate to the rear of the louvre brick.

The upper or top wall 21 of the unit may be desirably substantially flat exteriorly, to take its place in the organization of the wall bricks, without undue care in laying, and at its inner end it merges by an upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall 28 into the throat I2, this upper wall constituting part of a merger section connecting the brick proper to its throat.

In the Siamesed arrangement of Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the Ventilating pipe portions P lead directly into the rear wall openings I8 and I9, which may be oi smaller diameter, on account of their greater capacity as compared with that of a single Ventilating pipe, and accordingly, there is no need for a merger portion 28, and the top wall 21 if flat throughout.

At the forward end of the top wall, in each of the forms illustrated, a hood 29 for the vent opening serves as a baffle member. The drip will be deflected by this hood away from the vent.

The lower wall 20 terminates in a lip or apron 3D which preferably extends sufliciently beyond the wall 25 to carry the drip away therefrom.

Within the vent opening defined by the side walls 26 at their forward ends, and by the hood 29 andapron 30, I prefer to provide a removable screen'3l which may be desirably formed of wire gauze of suitable metal and mesh.

The ends or wings 32 of this screen may be formed with a suitable selvage or stiffening, as by dipping in solder, indicated by stippling, and their firm attachment to the side walls may be suitably provided for, as by short stove bolts 33. At 34, I have shown what may be designated as positioning flanges, the latter being provided at top and bottom of the body 3| of the screen, desirably integral therewith, and extending in the opposite direction from that of the wings 32, so that the flanges will contact with the top and bottom walls of the body cavity. Clearly, the screen will be solidly supported, against inward displacement, by the baffles 25, but may be readily removed and replaced.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that I have provided an improved Ventilating unit of the class described, which accomplishes the various objects recited in the opening paragraphs of the specification as features of the invention, the louvre brick unit herein disclosed being especially notable for its complete elimination of any interference by drip with the Ventilating erliciency of the device; also by its provision for complete exclusion of inflammable particles from the cavity adjacent to the louvre vent opening, and for the reduction in fire hazard, both secured by the readily accessible and replaceable gauze screen.

The unit is likewise notable for its adaptability for connection into conventional pipe systems.

I claim.

l. In combination, a building wall, a stationary volatile-huid tank in proximity to said wall, a louvre block in said wall serving as a ventilating unit for said tank and comprising a body of substantially rectangular form having at its rear end a screw threaded connecting throat, and having at its front end a vent opening with a series of vertically spaced baffles extending horizontally between the side walls, and inclined rearwardly and upwardly, a hood projecting beyond said vent opening and beyond the outer surface of the Wall and disposed to act as a baie, and a drip apron below said series of bailles and also projecting beyond the outer surface f the wall, the inside surface of the bottom wall of said block extending back from said drip apron being inclined upwardly and terminating in a vertical abutment adjacent the connecting throat, and a pipe connection between said tank and the connecting throat of said louvre block, the length and height of said block corresponding substantially to the length and height of a conventional building unit.

2. In combination, a building wall, a stationary volatile-huid tank in proximity to said wall, a louvre block in said wall serving as a Ventilating unit for said tank and comprising a body of substantially rectangular form having at its rear end a screw threaded connecting throat, and having at its front end a vent opening with a series of vertically spaced baffles extending horizontally between the side walls, and inclined rearwardly and upwardly, a hood projecting beyond said vent opening and beyond the outer surface of the wall and disposed to act as a balile, and a drip apron below said series of ballles and also projecting beyond the outer surface of the wall, the inside surface of the bottom wall of said block extending back from said drip apron being inclined upwardly and terminating in a vertical abutment adjacent the connecting throat, and a pipe connection between said tank and the connecting throat of said louvre block, said pipe connection being disposed at a point spaced rearwardly from the outer surface of said wall, and a screen disposed in said vent opening, the length and height of said block corresponding substantially to the length and height of a conventional building unit.

BENJAMIN RIESNER. 

